Part 1:
Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has operated in 75 countries, bringing life-saving surgeries and medicine to those without access to such care. Roland Decorvet, chairman of Mercy Ships Switzerland, refers to the ship as a “floating village” that reaches “the forgotten, the poorest of the poor,” and requires thousands of volunteers and millions of dollars each year. Decorvet says an even bigger USD 130 million version of the ship is coming soon.
Part 2:
Roland Decorvet, CEO of Philafrica Foods, sees similarities between 1990s China and the Africa of today. He cites Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa as an example, saying it looks like Beijing back in 1992. “It has strong government involvement, infrastructure being built, and a subway many European cities don’t have,” says Decorvet. In part two, he calls for more meaningful investment in Africa and talks about the role Switzerland, and Europe overall, must play to support growth.
Part 3:
Roland Decorvet, CEO of Philafrica Foods, says his company is not just about helping Africa, but rather trying to industrialize the continent. “We’re not giving handouts for people to survive,” he says. “We’re creating jobs, factories, and we’re helping farmers supply their crops to us at a good price.” In part three, Decorvet, the ex-Nestlé China head, talks about his goal to make Africa more self-sustainable.
Part 4:
Roland Decorvet, the former CEO and chairman of Nestlé China, says that while his 20 years at the food giant shaped him as a leader, his experience as chairman of Mercy Ships Switzerland has taught him “what not to do.” In the final part of our interview, he shares his views on leadership and talks about what he calls “the biggest lie in the corporate world.”
